Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Sign of the Times

"Eddy may not realize it, but around Gulf Breeze what many citizens would like to see are signs that say things about their own insurance company you shouldn't print on a blog like this, much less in a family newspaper."

Chris Green is, if you'll pardon the expression, one of the few green-friendly developers in the Pensacola area and the only one we know who is afflicted with a keen sense of sardonic irony. He owns SeaGreen Center, a small, single story retail complex in Gulf Breeze 'Proper' that's home to a few retail shops and offices, plus one popular barbeque restaurant.

After nearly two years of frustrating negotiations with Allstate Insurance over SeaGreen's Hurricane Ivan claim, the developer's patience was exceeded when the insurer demanded access for yet another repeat inspection -- this, after a long string of other damage inspections conducted by various structural engineers and other experts hired by Allstate.

"They just kept sending these guys, and sending more guys, and sending more of them again," Green told us in a recent impromptu interview. "I don't remember how many it's been, now -- six or seven. Maybe more. I guess they'll just keep sending 'em until Allstate finally gets someone who will give them an answer they like."

Green refused the insurer's last inspection demand when it became apparent that Allstate was proposing to conduct tests Green considers invasive to the building and his tenants' rights. He also worried that some of the tests might cause further damage to the building.

The insurance company responded by denying his claim and closing the file. Then it canceled his insurance policy.

That's when Green re-programmed the flashing electric message board at the main entrance to SeaGreen Center. B.J. reports the developer put "a lot of thought" into his decision.

"I've thought about this because I knew there would be repercussions [including] the newness of this type of sign, and I knew it would be, to a degree, a controversial message,' said Green. 'I look at it like this, it's a company that deserted us.'"

The electronic message board now alternates a promotional message for the restaurant-tenant with one knocking Allstate Insurance. Every half minute or so, these two screens appear --